1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for integration of a source object into a base image and particularly to a method for automatically detecting and adopting the color palette of the background region in the object/layer to the color palette of the background region in the base image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As digital image capturing devices become cheaper and more popular, many PC users are interested in taking digital pictures and using a computer to make some changes to them for fun. In order to make it easy for general users to work on the images, many excellent tools are provided in image processing software applications. With these tools, it is possible to produce an artificially fabricated photo by integrating objects or image layers either cut out from a real photo or synthetically generated into another real photo or synthetically generated image used as a base image.
A seamless integration of the objects or image layers into the base image can make the fabricated photo look more real. Thus, the users expend much effort in blending them well. With tools provided in conventional image software applications, there are three approaches.
One is to apply a soft edge to the border pixels. The hue of the fabricated photo around the border between the object and the base image can be gradually shifted. However, this only reduces the sharpness of the edges locally without globally reducing or eliminating the color discontinuity between the object and the base image.
Another is to manually adjust color values using a color control tool. This requires considerable skill. Further, undesired color changes may be made to portions of the object.
The third is to isolate individual region in the object using a selection tool first and then adjust color values using the color control tool. This can avoid unwanted changes, however, it is difficult and time-consuming to identify the individual regions using the selection tool if the object contains numerous many-edged or gradient-based images such as clouds.